Treadle-controlled door



April 7, 1931- P. R. FORMAN 1,799,966

l TREADLE coNTRoLLED DooR Y Filed Aug. 3, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1 ,LLH INVENTOR /11'5 A TORN M .www

April 7, 1931. P. R. FORMAN 1,799,966

TRADLE CONTROLLED DOOR Filed A1123- 3, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 R m? n BY j April 7, 1931. p, R, FORMAN 1,799,966

' TREADLE CONTROLLED DooR Filed Aug. 5. 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 l /ff A15 ATTORNEYS April 7, 1931.

P. R. FORMAN 1,799,965

TREADLE CONTROLLED DOOR Filed Aug. 3. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .37 la; M4251 I' a i; A l@ a 7 s ma "q" I v f 2 .vor 5 J5 72577 J7 4 EIL-54 4 jf) f/ f5 M D i z '/Wr INVENTOR 7?? /6 71. Frman P atented Apr. 7, 1931 11N-[TED .is

A .AJLRIS -RfFORIs/IANQOF. RAI-IWAY, lNEwzfJERsEY, ASSIGNOR'TO INATIONsAL V :PNEUMA'CI'IC COMPANY, `OFrfNEWwYOR/K,-N. Y.,f'A CORPORATION :OF .FWESTVRERGINIA .TREADLE-CO'NTROLLED DOOR Application'iledAugust' 3, 1926. Seri`a1`No- 126,858.

Thisinvention `rela-tes to treadle controls `orfdoors.

' One of the obj ectsofthis invention is' -to provide apparatus tdisposed in passageways obstructed by doors adapted vto beoperate'd by the passageof a person therethrough' to cause said doors to operate. Another object of this invention is the f provision of apparatus -as mentioned above-adapted to'cont-rol the oper- LU ation of the doors regardless of the direction of passage of pedestrians therethrough.

Another object of the invention 'is theprovision of Vtreadle contrlleddoors in passageivvays,' .Which are 'driven by motive means con* 15 `nected to the powercircu'it ofthe lbuilding in which it is used. Y Y

A still further object of the invention is the provision of devices adapted to be energized bythe depression ofA pivoted3 treadlejplates 2g Adisposed in theloor ,ofthepassageway to cause theV doors to open.

'Another Vobject of this f invention is the provision of apparatus 'of thisk type, vvhich W. issi-mple and easy to construct and eiiicient in u operation and maintenance. Y

These andimany other objects arelobtained by-apparatus embodying `the principles of my inventionas disclosed hereinafter.

`This invention resides substantially ,inf the `combination, construction, Y arrangementiand .relative Ilocati'onbf partsfas will beclearly described hereinafter.`

Referring to'` Vthe drawings -in 'which the same reference .numeralsware used Wherever possible in the severalviewsto yindicate the same `or similar parts7 Figurey 1 isa sideelev'- vational view of a barrier disposed in the passageway'dsclosing the motive lmeans for operating it. l

Figure 2 is a' horizontal cross-sectional vieW of "Figure l, showing the motive means in dotted lines.

Figure is a. top, plan view of thetreadle structure anda .cross-sectional view Voit-.fthe barrier disclosed in the passageway.

Figure 4 isa Wiring diagram of the devices employed. y

Figuregas across-.sectional viewof amodijThe main featuresl comprise a treadle Vdisposed in 'the'fioor' of' the passageway,Y which in the preferredformis sectionlized. The treadle j plates are lpivote"d-ax1fd are4 adapted upon ldepression by the vWei'g'gl'itofa Vpedestrian thereon' to 'close' aci-rcuit to the-electric motive means disposed f above thebari'iers. When thefmotive mea-ns is V'energized the barriers openand'remain Lopen until thel pedestrian has moved' from the treadle plates Whenf theesvvitch Vreturnsto its normalposition to cause the 'fmotive l means-to clos the doors.

Referring Y to f the drawings, the l fbarriers -in the iform disclosed Vcomprise a door composed of tvvo sections pandhingedtol Ygether byv the A'hinges 54. wThe section 51 is securedi by meansfof 'the' idoor straps '52v yto the rotatable vertically v-inounteid shaftf 53. On -the outer-end of lvdoor'section 150 is secured the mounting'ff'or the door-guide roller 56 Whichtravels' in -an"d'is guided: vby the member 57. The-edge of yt-he'l'door section 50 'is provided Y'With'the cushioning elment 58 Which operates -Withv the `cushioning element `59 onthe doorframeto prevent slamming of the doors. *".Disposedabovefthe door is the electric'fdoor operating Edevice 60.

"which is disclosed in -my copending application, Serial No. 12271512*filed,August 6, 1926 AThe motorr 60- isv connected by means of the arm`v 6l to the"crank-62, rigidly` attached to the-upperlend of the door shaft 53.

Disposed in theiioorf the passagewayis Aa treadle plate '63Which Vis-pivotally* mounted at one side onfthefelement 64. lDisposed-ladjacent'the` free endf ofi the treadlep'late isi-a square shaft-'166, which .ismounted so as to f be rotatable. Mounted at intervals on the shaft 66 are the short lugs 69 projecting under the free depressible ends of the sections of the treadle plate, so that when the free end of any section of the treadle plate is rotated downwardly it engages with one of the lugs on the shaft 66 to cause it to rotate through a portion of a revolution. In all the barriers or doors, there is attached to the shaft 66, an arm 65, the free end of which operates through the switch S secured to the door frame 8l.

I have found in actual experience that the best form of construction comprises a treadle plate made up of a plurality of sections as is shown in Figure 3. I have found also that the sectionalized form is more sensitive because the sections are lighter and are easily operated even by the weight of a child. The door remains open as long as any one treadle plate remains depressed.

In Figure 4, I have shown the circuits for the motor 60, which in the form contemplated comprises an alternating current motor adapted to be connected to the power circuit of the building in which the device is used. rlhe Switch S comprises a vertical slidable rod 67 having mounted therein the switch fingers or bridging members 7l, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76. Mounted on the lower end of the shaft 67 is a spring 68, which maintains the switch in a position to cause the doors to be closed when no one is on the treadle plate 63. Operating in conjunction i with this switch are the knock out switches 77 and 78. The switch 79 is inserted in the feed line and serves to disconnect the apparatus from the power source when desired. IVhen this switch is closed the circuit of Figure 4 illustrates the rela-tive position of the apparatus when the doors are closed. When the door is closing knock out switch 78 is opened and knock out switch 77 is closed. But just as the door completes its closing operation it causes switch 78 to close and switch 77 to be opened. Since the switch S is in the position to close the circuit to the motor for door closing, it is, of course, evident that some means must be provided to break the feed circuit when the door is closed, so that the motor will be disconnected from the power source. lVhen a pedestrian steps on the treadle 63 with the equipment shown in the position of Figure 4, switch S will be shifted to its other position causing the fingers 76, 75 and 74 to bridge their contacts and at the same time causing lingers 71, 72 and 73 to move out of Contact with their circuit terminals. This operation of the switch merely causes reversal of the current in the armature circuit of the motor 60, causing it to operate in a reverse direction with a result that the doors open. The movement of the motor will cause switch 7 7 to close and switch 78 to open, at the end of the door movement, so as to interrupt the current to the motor. As soon as the pedestrians move out of the pasageways and all of the sections of the treadle plate return to normal position, switch S under the inliuence of spring 68 returns to its normal position to reverse the armature current and cause the doors to close.

It is believed that it is not necessary to trace the pat-hs of the currents during these operations, since they will be at once evident to those skilled in the art. The whole function of the circuit is merely adapted to reverse the current in the armature of the motor and to break the circuit when the door is completely opened or closed. represents a resistance in the motor circuit and 7 0 represents an impedance to limit the current to the motor to prevent its damage when the circuit is first completed thereto.

I do not desire to be limited to the specific embodiment of the principles of my invention as I have disclosed them herein, since other forms of elements may be used. For instance a pneumatic motor could be used to operate the doors. One form of such equipment is shown in Figures 5 to 8. In this form of the invention, I have shown the two passageways A and B. Disposed in the passageway A is a door comprising the two hinged sections 3 and 4 mounted on the vertical shaft 6. In the passageway B is a door comprising the two hinged sections 1 and 2 mounted on the vertical shaft 5. The shafts 5 and 6 are supported by the door frame 9. Mounted on the upper end of the shaft 6 is a crank 8, pivotally connected to the link 7, and at its other end is secured to the crank on the pneumatic motor 2O which may be one of the many known forms of pneumatic motors. Disposed in the floor of the passageway is the pivoted treadle plate 87, which is mounted to rotate about the angle iron or plate 38. Under its free end are mounted springs 39, which are seated in the plates 40. Attached to the free end of the plate are the projections 4l, which contact with the lugs 42 secured to the shaft 43, which is pivotally mounted in the members 44. Keyed to the shaft 43 is an arm 45 which cooperates with the rod 27 on the switch which is slidably mounted in the brackets 29 and 30. The arm 45 moves the rod 27 upwardly against the action of the spring 3l to cause the bridging plate 28 to close the circuit to the contacts 35. The wires from these contacts are connected with a magnet valve which is well known in the art, and is usually used in conjunction with pneumatic motors. 'Ihis magnet valve admits fluid pressure to a valve puller which in turn permits fluid pressure to operate the pneumatic motor.

It will be noted that in this form of the invention a single treadle plate is disposed throughout the length of the passageway. It

may be mentioned that the magnet valve and valve puller are so constructed that when the circuit to the magnet valve is broken a reversal of operation occurs and the engine moves back to cause the doors to close.

To show in somewhat greater detail one method of mounting the sections of a treadle plate, Figures 7 and 8 have been included. The sections 37 of the treadle plate are provided at one end with the projection lugs 36 which rest on the angle iron 38, while at their other ends are provided the projections 41 which contact with the lugs 42, secured to the rotatable shaft 43. It will be seen that upon the depression of any one of the sections of the treadle plate against the action of the spring 39 the shaft 43 will be operated in a counter-clockwise direction, see Figure 8, to cause the outer end of the arm 45 to move upwardly. The movement ofV this arm will operate any suitable switch, such as described above.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that I have embodied in my apparatus aI number of novel features which are of considerable importance. I am aware that many changes in the detail of construction and arrangement of parts will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and I do not wish therefore, to be limited to the particular construction of features disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, but rather to the principle of my invention as defined below.

What I seek to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. In an automatic door operating apparatus, the combination with a passageway having doors therein and electrically operated means for opening said doors, of a treadle comprising a plurality of sections disposed in said passageway with several sections on each side of the door and switch means operated by the depression of any of said sections for actuating said door opening means.

2. In an automatic door operating device the Combination with a passageway having doors therein and means for operating said doors, of a. plurality of plates in said passageway adapted to be displaced by the passage of a person through the passageway, a single switch adapted to be closed by the displacement of any one of said plates whereby said means is caused to open said doors, and

doors therein and means for ope-rating said doors, of a plurality of pivoted plates in the passageway, a shaft disposed adjacent the free ends of the plates and adapted to be rotated by movement of any one of said plates,

a switch for controlling said means, and

means on said shaft to close said switch when the shaft is rotated to cause the doors to open.

4. In an automatic door operating device the combination with a passageway having Vdoors therein and means for operating said switch when the shaft is rotated to cause the doors to open, and means for returning said plate to normal position when the plate is free of weight whereby the switch is opened so that the means for operating the doors close them.

5. In an automatic door operating system the combination with a passageway having doors therein and electric motor means for operating the doors, of treadle means in the passageway comprising a plurality of pivoted plates mounted in the iioor thereof on cach side of the doors, single switching means controlled by the depression of any plate for controlling said electric motor means to cause the doors to open, and means operated by the movement of the doors to break the circuit when the doors are fully opened or closed.

6. In an automatic door operating apparatus, the combination with a passageway having a door therein and power means for operating said door, of a treadle comprising a plurality of sections disposed in said pas- Y sageway with several sections on each side of the door, and control means operated by the depression of any one of said sections for actuating said power means for operating said door.

7. In an automatic door operating device, the combination with a passageway having adoor therein and means for operating said door, of a plurality of pivoted plates in the passageway, a shaft rotatably supported adjacent the free ends of the plates, means coacting with the free ends of the plates and mounted on said shaft for rotating the shaft when any one of said plates are depressed,

and control means for actuating said means for operating the door.

8. In an automatic door operating device, the combination with a passageway having doors therein and mea-ns for operating said doors, of a plurality of plates in said passageway with several plates on each side of the doors adapted to be displaced by the passage of a person through the passageway,

and a switch adapted to be closed by the displacement of one end of said plates whereby said means is caused to open said doors.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this 2d day of July, A. D. 1926.

PARIS R. FORMAN. 

